Skoda Loses Head Designer: Jozef Kaban Is Now BMW's Head Of Design Operations

Feb 10, 2017 07:40 AM EST | JP Olvido

Skoda head of design Jozef Kaban has been reported to have left Skoda to join BMW. The German luxury car manufacturer has confirmed that Kaban has officially joined the company and will be replacing former head of design operations, Karim Habib.

Jozef Kaban joins BMW as the new head of design operations. The person responsible for the bullish look of the Bugatti EB16.4 Veyron is now the German luxury car manufacturer's new head of design operations, replacing Karim Habib. Kaban, a 44-year old Slovak, and celebrated car designer will be leading a team of designers focused on the BMW brand. He will be working directly under design director Adrian van Hooydonk.

In response to the news, Skoda thanked the new head of design operations for his contributions to the success of the Czech mar manufacturer pointing out that Kaban had "significantly influenced the design and emotionality of the brand." A statement by Skoda thanking Kaban read, "We would like to thank Jozef Kaban for his performance and wish him well in his future endeavors."

The 44-year old Slovak is responsible for revolutionizing the design ethos of Skoda. He is the man behind the design of the current line of Skoda vehicles which include the fourth-generation Octavia and the new Kodiaq. He also worked on the upcoming second-generation Yeti which will be released sometime in 2018. Kaban is an expert exterior designer. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia.

He started out by taking part in a design competition held by Skoda coming in second. He eventually got offered a position as a junior assistant of design at Skoda's parent company, Volkswagen. Apart from the Bugatti Veyron EB16.4, he also designed Volkswagen Lupo and Seat Arosa while at Volkswagen.

Habib, Kaban's predecessor, will be joining Volkswagen. Speculations suggest that he will be filling in the position of head of brand design.

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